Chapter 16

Fake!

“My dad is a doting father who would die for me! My real dad loves me!”

“……”

The fake father had no answer.

Look at it!

You’re the father of another kid! You’re not my dad!

‘Right! Real dad….’

“Hic…”

Somehow my nose felt hot.

My eyes began to cloud again.

Then the fake father hugged me. Tears fell down as warm hands brushed against the eyes.

“That’s why you’re not my father.”

I could see my father in a clear view.

I could see both his expression and his eyes, but I couldn’t understand what he was thinking.

Strangely enough, I couldn’t answer that.

“Daddy, Daddy!”

And as I spoke, I was filled with grief, and I said, “Hiccup, hic!!” My heart was throbbing.

“You’re scaring me! You get angry all the time! How can you make a face like this!”

I mimicked him with a frown.

“And you just told me!”

“Why are you speaking nonsense?”

“You said I was a rat!”

Dad shut his mouth.

The sight made me even more distressed.

I knew you were just talking nonsense!

Chuck!

Even though it was a short finger, I pointed as hard as I could.

“It’s a fake dad! It’s not my dad! Really, really, really, really mean–!”

* * *

“Your Grace…”

Heinz, the chief butler of the mansion, called the Duke of Paeraton, who was standing absentmindedly.

Standing blankly wasn’t really suitable for the Duke of Paeraton.

“…….”

But the Duke of Paeraton did not answer, perhaps he really was spacing out.

“Well, sir?”

It was not until he got close that the Duke looked back at him and responded.

“What happened?”

Heinz asked in a somewhat worried tone.

‘Is it possible that the story with the Young Miss didn’t go well?’

He felt a little responsible.

It was because he was the one who recommended seeing the Young Miss.

Unlike the bloodline of Paeraton, the Young Miss must be crying over what happened today.

“Was it difficult for you to soothe a crying child?”

After the return of the Young Miss, the Duke of Paeraton has changed a lot.

So he thought it would be okay.

“Was the lady crying a lot?”

“She wasn’t crying when I went.”

“Huh? Did she cry?”

“She cried.”

“……Huh?”

What the hell do you mean?

“She cried while talking with me. I guess she cried.”

“…..”

Heinz forgot what to say.

‘He’s not anybody else, he’s just….’

The Duke of Paeraton, who can even make a healthy child can burst into tears.

It is not surprising that there are children who cried to sleep because of eye contact with him.

“But still, the Young Miss followed you very well….’

It was very surprising to think that she lived in the arms of a Duke every day.

“Heinz.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Answer honestly.”

“You can always trust me, I would never lie.”

Heinz held his head straight and bowed his head seriously.

“Am I ugly?”

“……Huh?”

Heinz opened his mouth unknowingly and looked at the Duke.

He always maintained a disciplined attitude as if he had an angle, but he could not help it this time.

‘No, no. I must have misheard.’

There is no way the Duke of Paeraton would ask if he is ugly.

“Would you say that again?”

“……Done.”

The Duke of Paeraton turned his head and walked away.

“Si, Sir.”

The employees gathered at the end of the corridor were surprised to see him and retreated to both sides.

The Duke of Paeraton raised one eyebrow.

Recently, employees have often gathered like this and chatted.

Originally, all of the Duke’s employees did not show their presence except when the owner needed them.

Until then, I only thought that the atmosphere had changed, but I didn’t feel much.

But now I feel uncomfortable.

The Duke of Paeraton, who was looking at his employees with a fierce look, saw a white paper that popped out of the maid’s hand.

“What’s that?”

“It, it’s nothing.”

I didn’t think the Duke would ask her questions, but the maid could not hide her embarrassment.

“I decide whether it’s a big deal or not.”

The maid, who swallowed dry saliva, handed the paper to the duke in a cautious manner.

The Duke of Paeraton opened the folded paper with his brows knitted.

And on the spread-out paper-

‘What the hell is this? Pineapple?’

Is it a new code?

The maid began the explanation without hiding the tips of her lips.

“It’s really nothing, but my lady just drew me.”

“……What?”

“This is me holding her hand tightly. She said she liked me so she drew me.”

That was not an explanation.

It was a boast.

“She drew it for me, too. I’m holding onto it.”

“Me too, she painted me holding a flower. She liked the garden that I take care of.”

“I got three!”

Employers began to show off as they took out pictures from their arms.

It was the first time that they had been so energetic in front of the Duke of Paeraton.

And the Duke’s belly was twisted.

“Oh no,” said Nancy, who saw him radiating a dark energy like a dark cloud.

“Oh, of course it’s not as good as the picture you received.”

“I’m sure the youngest lady gave you a lot of pictures since she follows you around so much, right?”

“I wonder what it looks like.”

The employees looked at the Duke of Paeraton with their eyes glistening with expectations.

After a little silence, the Duke opened his mouth.

“……Yes.”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t get one.”

Ssaaaㅡ.

In an instant, the temperature of the corridor seemed to have decreased by 10 degrees.

Employees looked at the frozen Duke of Paeraton.

No one was able to speak hastily.

* * *

“Then let’s get this straight.”

Well, Nancy, who had a cough, started the briefing in a solemn manner.

“The butler thought she cried. He offered to comfort her.”

Heinz nodded, meaning that he was right.

“By the way, my Lady wasn’t crying. Rather she bursted into tears during a conversation with His Excellency.”

The Duke of Paeraton was silent.

“In addition, her father, His Excellency, didn’t receive the painting that everyone received.”

The people in the room looked awkwardly around.

“Well, it’s simple. Young Miss hates the His Excel–“

“Ahhem!”

“Cough!”

Simultaneously, a rash of coughing blocked Nancy’s words.

It was a struggle to survive.

“Well, what did the lady say when she cried? A child can cry as much as they want for reasons completely different from what adults think.”

Anna tried to listen to the Duke.

But.

“You’re not my dad.”

“…….”

“She said she hated me.”

People looked at the Duke of Paeraton, forgetting what they had to say.

No, he went to calm her down and he heard that he wasn’t her dad?

She said she hated him, too.

‘What the hell do I do….?’

People exchanged looks without a word and looked at the Duke of Paeraton again.

And they realized.

‘Oh, it’s the butler’s fault.’

The sight of the Duke’s long legs crossed smoothly with his chin stiff, it gave them a feeling.

No matter how young a child is today, Duke of Paeraton was the Duke of Paeraton.

A cruel, evil and ruthless man.

They couldn’t believe he gave a mission to a man like that to comfort her.

‘It’s like asking a toddler who can’t even crawl to run.’

“It’s my fault.”

Everyone nodded at the butler’s quick acknowledgement.

“It was too high for the Duke, no, it was fast.”

“When you are comforting a child, you shouldn’t push it.”

The Duke of Paeraton raised one eyebrow.

“I’ve never pushed.”

Unlike the butler’s words, the child wasn’t crying, so it was just words.

There was no particular topic to talk about, so he simply mentioned the book that the child wanted to have.

“Wow, I’m sure you weren’t pushing her, but from the child’s point of view, it can feel that way.”

“My Lady is different from the masters. More affectionate, warmer!”

“Laugh and respect each other!”

“Did you give her a hug when she asked? Did you pat her?”

“……I didn’t hold her.”

Sigh.

Everyone sighed loudly at the same time.

“Next time, please hug her and pat her back.”

The Duke frowned.

“Why would I do that?”

“Oh, my God.”

The frightened maids covered their mouths.

The Duke of Paeraton seemed really incomprehensible.

“What does that mean?”

“But, Sir, did you feel anything when you were holding her?”

The Duke was silent at the words.

When he carried his youngest daughter around.

When the child stretched out her arms and hugged his neck.

When she dozed off while shaking her legs on his knees.

Then, when she fell asleep, her cheek pressed against his chest.

The child was warm and the sound of breathing was soft and tender, like the buds of early spring.

People smiled unknowingly at the Duke, who was so quiet.

Seeing this perfect man embarrassed by his first experience.

But in the end, he will have complete happiness.

“Go back to My Lady, sir.”

“She cried, so you have to comfort her.”

Anna and Nancy were amazed at themselves to say so.

Before that, it would have been difficult to even talk to him first.

The Young Miss changed a lot after returning to the mansion.

(T/N: this means that a lot of things changed ever since the FL came)

The Duke of Paeraton got up from his seat to go visit his daughter.

“Oh, by the way.”

He looked back as he was leaving the room. His red eyes glanced at the people sharply.

The employees, who had been feeling warm hearts, were nervous for a moment. They knew the Duke’s sincerity best.

Soon the Duke’s lips opened.

“Do you know what ‘nyam’ is?”

“……”

“And ‘guggy’ too.”

There was a different silence in the room.

* * *

“You must be crazy!”

I banged my head on the bed.

“I am determined to die!”

I can’t believe you gave me this penalty!

I’m sure the devil was determined to get me killed!

I groaned and pointed at my forehead.

“Ah, I’m getting old, I’m getting old!”

What do I do now?

Even though I may not be his real daughter, I said with my mouth that I was not his daughter…

“How disgusting I am.”

Whew. It was depressing.

Then there was a knock on the door.

“You’re not the Duke again, are you?’

I looked at the door, trembling when Anna came in.

That’s a relief, but….

“Miss, would you like some snacks?”

“I’m not eating.”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“I don’t know. I’m not eating.”

I quickly laid down.

It looks like I’m dead, but I wonder if the time will pass.

Anna knows that I am innocent.

I know it’s because the reincarnation buff disappeared, but what can I do about it?

“Oh, my lady. I can’t help it because you didn’t eat the rice I put out.”

Yes?

“I guess you like the food that your dad prepared.”

What?

I had a bad hunch.

Denying that it couldn’t be, I turned my head with a trembling look.

Why can’t a bad hunch be wrong?

“Dad….”

Before I knew it, the Duke of Paeraton was standing on the doorway.

With an arrogant and insensitive face and cold eyes.

My body shrank back on its own.

Facing me, he moved his lips slowly.

“Let’s eat.”

……Huh?